Trending Now

You are here

NA offers retirement incentives

Teachers at North Adams Community Schools who are at or near retirement age have been offered a one-time incentive to cement their retirement plans.
Superintendent Wylie Sirk reported to the board of education during its meeting Tuesday that federal stimulus funding has made possible the retirement incentive program, which will award a one-time payment of $15,000 to qualifying teachers who announce their retirement plans by April 1. The incentive payment will not affect other retirement benefits, Sirk said.
In other board action, business manager Larry Carty reported that the reconfiguration of the traffic pattern at Northwest Elementary school will begin during the upcoming spring break with the erection of new "delineator posts" between the bus driving lane and the auto exit drive. The project will not be completed until summer, he said.
Structural renovation work at Bellmont Middle School will also begin at the end of the current school year, Carty noted, following a recent meeting with representatives of Structure Tec Group. Bids for the work will be awarded in early May.
Carty also sought, and received, board approval granting a water line easement to the city of Decatur in the vicinity of Southeast Elementary school. The easement is located along the west side of Everhart Street, near Rod Street, and was needed to accommodate the construction of several new residential structures in the area.
Personnel moves approved by the board included approval of a medical leave for Nicole Myers, the resignation of Tracey Conrad as middle school cheerleading coach, the assignments of Steve Lee as assistant high school softball coach and Troy Roth as middle school head girls soccer coach, and Matt Lose as a volunteer for the high school softball program.
Accepted with regret was the retirement at the end of the school year of Barb Isch as high school media paraprofessional, after more than 30 years with the North Adams school district.